Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-01

than the imported article. mink lnat is
certainly due both to climate and treat
ment. Our dry climate has the effect on
all fruits of toughening or hardening the
skin, and this is what causes our fruit TO
SHIP BETTER AND KEEP LONGER
Than the same fruits grown in countries
where they have rains during the growing
season. Every fruit-shipper knows that
after the first fall rains it is unsafe-in fact,
useless-to attempt to ship fruit that has
been exposed to heavy rains. Some hve
or six years ago the San Francisco Bulletin
Company, assisted by some others, i'm
ported quite a large number of fig trees and
cuttings direct from Smyrna. l think they
took the precaution to send trustworthy
man to attend TO it personally. The cut
tings and plants came, and were distrlbu-
ted quite thoroughly over the State, TO be
tested in different localities. got some
of them and have them growing, but with
me the fruit has not matured. 1t blasts
and falls off before it is half-grown and
this has been the case with all / have
heard from, with one single exception, and
that was near Penryn, in Placer county,
where H. E. Parker has 4-year-
old tree that l sold him out OF
my lot. 1t matured several specl-
mems this season. Mr.. Parker said they
q
l only saw one specimen, and 1t was Il
suppose) not a fair sample. 1t looked and
tasted much like the San Pedro. think
if this fig ever succeeds il will have to be
fortified by some other variety, though 1t
would seem from the success OF Mr.
Parker's tree that they may mature fruit
on the granite soil of our foothills. There
is certainly no soil or climate in the State
where the fig does better than IN these
foothills at an altitude of from 500 to 900
feet above the sea level. In the foothills OF
Shasta county, between Balls ferry and
Shingletown, there is fig tree about 70
years old that measures 1Q3 inches in cir
conference three feet above ground, and
the branches Tor top cover an area equal
TO sIxTY-FIyE FEET IN DIAMETER,
And its yield of green fruit is variously
estimated at from 800 to $500 pounds
annually. There is also a lot of trees
owned by Mr.. Wildermuth near Valley
Springs, in Calayeras county, said to be
equally large and productive, and / have
seen in many other places on the granite
soil enormously large trees of the large
told of trees yielding from coo to LOCO
pounds of dried figs. l have small orchard
of fig trees at -Penryn only years old
from the cutting, that yielded $50 pounds
of dried figs to the tree this season,
that at 6 cents per pound would be SO to
the tree. [ expect that Weld to beincrease6
at least 2e per cent. per aEnum for the neSt
ten years, and when my figs are properly
cured (by artificial heat | expect to get 20
to 10 cents per pound instead of 6, as now.
Thus It will be seen that fig orchard,
properly managed, will prove bonanza.
But to return to varieties. l would recon-
10 20
White, White Ischia1 Large Purple Tor Cal
iforlia Black.
THE wETTE ADRIATIC
Is also represented as drying well though
! have not tried it. But when artificial
keat is to be used think that nc other fig,
certainly none tkat I am familiar with, will
equal the San Pedro, both as to quality and
tquantity, except, possibly, the Virdoni, or
White Adriatic, may equal it. But, as be-
fore stated I hcye not tested it. 1t is rec
commended very highly by others who have
tested it. There are several other varieties
which we caltivate that might be men
| toned, bnt l believe it is q great mistake
for an orchardist to plant, in a market or
chard, a long list of kinds. Plant only q
few leading kinds, known to be good, and
| leave experimenting and testing to the nur
| serVman, whose business, unfortunately, tits
to do the experimenting. Ever since have
| been in the nursery business l have been
constantly, and still am, experimenting.
| There is never a season that l do not have
a long list of kinds en- the test roll, and
hundreds of them prove utterly worthless
| here, though many Of them come highly
recommended from the East and Europe.
| Hence, I repeat, plant but a few varieties,
| those only that are known to be good.
PLANTING AND CARING FOR FIG ORCHARD.
The Jig is long-lived and strong grow
| ing tree, and the trees should be planted
| farther apart than most other fruit trees,
especially the stronger growing kinds,
such as the Large Purple, Pacific white and
| White Adriatic. The San Pedro and White
| ISchia are not strong growers, and cOnse-
quently might be planted closer, but even
| they want plenty of room. | would recon-
mend planting fig trees from 26 TO % feet
apart Then ill in with grapevines,
| berries or some other fruit trees, such as
peaches, plums, pruRes or ounces, some
| thing that can be taken out at the end OF
ten or twelve years, or so soon as the fig
| trees need all the room. Thus quick and
constant return eau be realed from ali the
| land The fig and grape do well together,
| and / should prefer filling in with grapes
| to ANYTHING else If the land is well adapted
| to grape growing the vines can remain in
the fig orchard fully as long, if not longer,
than most anything else; but ! would not
plant them too close to the tree. Then in
| thinning out, take out those nearest the
| trees first; they need not all be taken out
at once.
PRUNING TIE TREES.
Most all trees do best if cut back heavily
when planted, but the fig is an exception
to that rule. 1t does not need to be cut
back much, though it should be shortened
in some. 1t often has mass Of fine fiber
Gus, moss-like, roots; these should be
trimmed off, leaving only the large and
mutilated roots should be pared off, also
then, if carefully planted it will grow. 1t
does seem strange to advise the removing
of the fine fberous roots, but experience
| has demonstrated that they do best de-
priyed of these roots. After the tree is es-
tabhshed III the orchard it needs but lit
| tie pruning except to give it shape,
until it gets to that age when it is grow
ing but little and making but little
new wood; then it is a good idea to
| head it back quite heavily. This renews
| the tree and causes it to throw out large
amount of new wood that will bear large
crops of fine fruit. / had occasion three
years ago to head back an old tree quite
heavily; it threw out the first year large
number of new shoots two to three feet
long, and they were literally loaded with
much finer fruit than the other trees that
were not so headed back, and it has con-
tinued ever since to bear much larger crops
and finer fruit than any of the other trees
that were not cut back, and they all had
equal advantages otherwise.
PACKING THE FRUIT FOR MARKET.
think this part of the work should be
done by the dealer, who is supposed to be
prepared for it. In that case, the farmer
could take it out of his sweat-boxes and
market it in clean cotton sacks, though he
can if he pleases put it in suitable packages
! for market himself. The most convenient
| package for the trade, in this country, is a
neat, strong sugar-pine box made on pur
pose for figs. It is intended to hold twenty